Rugged, versatile leading man with a flair for playing charming, opportunistic types. "The Prowler" (1951) and "3:10 to Yuma" (1957) show him at two extremes: as a crooked, ruthless cop and an honest, innocent farmer out to help the law. Perhaps best remembered as the resolute rancher in "Shane" (1953), he later appeared in character roles, such as the bomb-toting passenger aboard "Airport" (1970)

Rugged, versatile leading man with a flair for playing charming, opportunistic types. "The Prowler" (1951) and "3:10 to Yuma" (1957) show him at two extremes: as a crooked, ruthless cop and an honest, innocent farmer out to help the law. Perhaps best remembered as the resolute rancher in "Shane" (1953), he later appeared in character roles, such as the bomb-toting passenger aboard "Airport" (1970)

Frances Heflin. Actor. Died of lung cancer on June 1. 1996 at the age of 71.

Contributions

albatros1 ( 2007-09-18 )

Source: Wikipedia The Internet Encyclopedia

Heflin was born Emmett Evan Heflin Jr. in Walters, Oklahoma to Fannie B. and Dr. Emmett E. Heflin, a dentist. He was of Irish and French ancestry. Heflin's sister was Daytime Emmy-nominated actress Frances Heflin. Heflin attended the University of Oklahoma, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
Heflin began his acting career on Broadway in the early 1930s before being signed to a contract by RKO Studios. He made his film debut in A Woman Rebels (1936). He was signed by MGM Studios, and was initially cast in supporting roles in films such as Santa Fe Trail (1940), and Johnny Eager (1942), winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the latter performance.
MGM began to groom him as a leading man in B movies, and provided him with supporting roles in more prestigious productions. Among his more notable film credits are Presenting Lily Mars (1943), The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), Possessed (1947), Act of Violence (1948), The Prowler (1951), Shane (1953), and 3:10 to Yuma (1957). He also performed on stage throughout his acting career. His stage credits include The Philadelphia Story on Broadway opposite Katharine Hepburn and Joseph Cotten, and the Arthur Miller play A Memory of Two Mondays.
Heflin's last major role was in Airport (1970). He played "D. O. Guerrero", a failure who attempts to blow himself up on an airliner so his wife (played by Maureen Stapleton) can collect on a life insurance policy.
He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for his contributions to motion pictures at 6309 Hollywood Boulevard, and for television at 6125 Hollywood Boulevard.
On July 6, 1971, Heflin had a heart attack. He lay unconscious for days, apparently never regaining consciousness. Van Heflin died at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital on July 23, 1971.
He had left instructions forbidding a public funeral. Instead, his cremated remains were scattered on the ocean. (Heflin was a sailor before becoming an actor)